Pippen Ain't Easy
Fansided

Chicago Bulls had agreed deal in place with Milos Teodosic before Jimmy Butler trade

By Michael Whitlow

HONOLULU, HI - OCTOBER 1: Milos Teodosic #4 of the LA Clippers handles the ball during the preseason game against the Toronto Raptors on October 1, 2017 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, HI. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jay Metzger/NBAE via Getty Images)
HONOLULU, HI - OCTOBER 1: Milos Teodosic #4 of the LA Clippers handles the ball during the preseason game against the Toronto Raptors on October 1, 2017 at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, HI. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jay Metzger/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

According to Nick Lotsos, the agent of current Los Angeles Clippers guard Milos Teodosic, the Chicago Bulls and his client had agreed to a three-year deal before the Bulls decided to trade away Jimmy Butler.

Before this season, Milos Teodosic was considered by many as the best basketball player in the world that wasn’t playing in the NBA. His dazzling display on a nightly basis of crisp passing and sharp shooting has made him one of the world’s most enjoyable players.

Over the summer, the Chicago Bulls were considered one of the front-runners to sign Teodosic after the 30-year-old guard wanted to leave CSKA Moscow and join the NBA. After all, Chicago has a big Serbian community and they would adore Teodosic in the Windy City.

But, the plans fell through and Teodosic ended up with the Los Angeles Clippers. How did things come about?

According to Nick Lotsos, the agent that represents Teodosic, he met and discussed matters with the Bulls, but it was the Jimmy Butler trade that changed everything.

Eurohoops.net had the exclusive interview with Lotsos.

"“I met in Treviso, Italy, the head of international scouting Ivica Dukan, who is the man who took Toni Kukoc to Chicago. His opinion has a real value within the Bulls organization. He is practically the No. 3 decision maker on the team. We talked and he said to me that Milos was the best player they could get. After a few days the GM, Gar Forman, called me. We had agreed to a contract close to $30 million for three years, similar to the one Bogdan Bogdanovic signed in Sacramento. My only objection was that I wanted Milos to have the chance to opt out every summer, because I believe that he can get All-Star money. We were ready to sign and Forman wanted the deal for one more reason. There are many Serbs in Chicago.”"

A quick recap:

  • Ivica Dukan is one of the most respected names in the Bulls organization. He’s truly responsible for the likes of Toni Kukoc and Nikola Mirotic becoming Bulls in their careers. To hear that he’s seemingly “the No. 3 decision maker on the team” isn’t shocking.
  • Teodosic getting three years and $30 million basically could translate to one-year, $10 million each year (like Sergio Rodriguez got with the Philadelphia 76ers when he came back to the NBA last season on a one-year, $8 million deal) because if the Bulls actually gave him the chance to opt-out, that’s what the deal could’ve and likely would’ve been.
  • Gar Forman isn’t wrong about Serbia and Chicago. All you’d have to do is watch when Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets came to town last year to see that.

“I knew that the deal will not be completed after the trade,” Lotsos said after the Bulls traded Butler, via Eurohoops.

Next: Cristiano Felicio leads Bulls in scoring for first time in preseason opener

“And two days later, Forman called me and explained me that the team wanted to rebuild, so getting a 30-year-old point guard without NBA experience was out of the question.”

Home/Bulls Rumors